Freeman

Plaintiffs were unsuccessful in their action for the alleged wrongful death of their minor child and the personal injuries of plaintiff, Winifred Freeman, the child’s mother. The jury returned a verdict in favor of defendant, Dale Churchill, the operator of the truck, and pursuant to a direction so to do, in favor of the defendants, C. 0. Sparks and Mundo Engineering Corporation, the alleged employers of Churchill.

The accident occurred in Compton in an area neither residential nor business in character. Atlantic Avenue extends north and south, crossing Olive Street which runs east and west. Both streets are four-lane arteries, the lane next to the center line being about 10 feet in width and the outer lane considerably wider. A double white line divides each street in the center. The intersection of the streets is controlled by four automatic traffic signals, one at each corner. Each has three lights, green, amber and red. The light changes from green to amber, then to red, followed by green on the cross street. The amber light shows for 3 seconds. It indicates caution—a warning that the red stop light will soon appear.

At 4 p. m. on a clear day defendant Churchill was driving…